Upright-piano action



- (No Model.) v

R. E. LETTON.

UPRIGHT PIANO ACTION.

No. 245,641. Patented Aug. 16,1881.

Wave/$36.5": i

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAPHAEL E. LETTON, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

UPRlGHT-PIANO ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,641, dated August 16, 1881.

Application filed March 2!, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAPHAEL E. LETTON,

of the city of Quincy, of the county of Adams,

and the State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Action of Pianos, whereby the action of the upright piano is greatly simplified, of which the following is a full and exact specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is an improvement upon my Patent No. 237,114, dated February 1, 1881, and relates to the action of the upright piano, as set forth in the following description.

The axis of the oscillating arm at a is operated in conjunction with the sloping roof of the slot 4", the object of which is to provide a larger recoil to the hammer K. The arm 0 is provided at the front end with a regulating screw and button, f g, determining the upward motion of the arm 0. On the arm 0 is placed the thong-guide 0, having both a vertical and a lateral motion. The arm 0 is also provided on the under surface with a wheel, 11, obviating the friction occurring between the liftingstem B and arm 0. I attain these objects by the devices hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical side view of a device embodying the elements of this invention, showing the action at rest. Fig. 2 shows the position of the action when the key is pressed, at the moment the hammer K is brought in contact with the string S. Fig. 3 exhibits the hammer at rest after the recoil, while the key is still pressed. Fig. 4 is a'front view, showin gthemortise-block P, containing the frictionwheel 11.

The action, as" shown in Fig. 1, consists, essentially, of the key A, lifting-stem B, the horizontal arm 0, pivoted to the blcck Q, the arm 0, to the under side of which is attached the pivot-block P, carrying the friction-wheel o, and upon the upper surface of which is the arm 0, the regulating-button f g, the vertical oscillating arm m a, the thong-guide 0 and thong e, and, lastly, hammer-butt J, having slot 1", stay 01, groove t, hammer K, and double pivothlock Q, hereinafter described.

f g is a regulating screw and button attached on the front and upper surface of the arm 0,

and which operate thus; When the key A is pressed, the button 9 coming in contact with the rail H, the required motion for the arm 0 is thus determined.

In all upright actions previous to my invention I am aware the throw of the horizontal arm supporting the jack was regulated solely by the quantity of padding under the front of the key, increasing or diminishing the throw of that arm according to the dip of the key; but in my invention the throw of the arm 0 is regulated solely by the screw and button f g, and that independent of any augmentation given to the dip of the key.

In the hammer-butt J the slot 0' is so cut that it will give to its roof an inclination from rear to front that will allow the axis of the arm m n to have a sidewise motion. During the recoil of the hammer K by this device all needed recoil of the hammer is obtained, thereby giving to the string S a free vibration, as shown in Fig. 3.

In the rear superficies at the base of the slot ris cut transverse the hammer-butt J, the shallow groove t, into which is firmly glued the stay (I and bushing of the slot r, forming a secure clamp, whereby the bushing and stay are held in a secure position.

0 is a spring secured to the arm (3, standing in the rear of the arm m at, having upon the uppermost end a link or eyelet. The thong e is attached near the base of the arm on a, and, passing up in an oblique direction through the eylet of the spring 0, is fastened to the hammer-butt near the slot 1. The spring 0 is so bent that it will yield to both vertical and lateral strain of the thong 0, whereby is prevented a wear of the thong e.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In the hammer-butt J, the slot 1', constructed with a beveled roof adapted to allow the arm m a to have a sidewise motion, for the purpose herein fully described.

2. A hammer-butt having the slot 1' and groove 15 adapted to receive the stay and bushing of slot, as herein described.

3. The spring 0, provided with a loop or link through which passes the thong 6, constructed substantially as described, whereby it is adapted to yield to either a lateral or vering' the slot 0', with groove t and stay d, subtical draft of the thong as specified. stantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a piano-action, the hammer-butt; having the slot 1', with beveled roof, in combina- 5 tion with the axis of the arm m n, herein de- Witnesses:

scribed and specified. THEO. 1?. LETTON,

5. In a piano-action, the hammer-butt hav- E. S. JANES.

RAPHAEL E. LETTON. 

